Day and night corner-sign.



Patented Dec. l6, I902.

7 E. W. EDWARDS.

DAY AND NIGHT CORNER SIGN.

Application filed my 19, 1902.)

' (No Nodal.)

Nil'tsses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. EDWARDS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

DAY AND NIGHT CORNER-SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,769, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed May 19,1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Cincinnati, in the countyof Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Day and Night Corner-Sign; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description thereof, attention being called tothe accompanying drawings, with the reference-numeralsmarked thereon, which form also a part of this specification.

This invention relates to signs for advertising purposes, and is arranged and constructed with two purposes in view. One is to render the sign observable and conspicuone in day-time as well as at night. The other is to permit its attachment to a limited pro jecting surfaceas, for instance, at a corner of a building, a column, or post. Accordingly the invention comprises two leading features, one of which is the possibility to be readily observed in daylight as well as at night. The other is the provision for attachment in the manner stated.

The invention consists of the construction whereby these features are embodied in practical shape and as hereinafter described, claimed, and illustrated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front View of the sign in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same. Fig. 3 is a central'horizontal section of it, with adjacent parts of a corner, to which it is attached. Fig. 4 is a side View of it with parts broken away. Fig. 5 in a front view, and Fig. 6 in a top view, show at reduced scale a modified shape of my sign.

The principal meanswhereby the sign is rendered also observable at night consist of a suitable light inclosed in a chamber, one of the walls of which constitutes the sign proper and is so constructed that the matter on it may be seen in day-time as well as at night, the latter elfect being due to the light behind it and within the chamber. This latter may be circular, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, or rectangular, as shown in Fig. 5. The material of its walls is sheet metal, 10 indicating the rear wall, 11 the side, and 12 the front Wall; all connected to each other in any suitable manner. The front wall also constitutes the sign, and as to it consists of two parts-a Serial No. 107.965. (No model.)

center field 13, which may he used. to carry a suitable picture, emblem, or trade-mark, as indicated by the star 14 shown, and of a space 12 surrounding this center part and which may carry the name of a firm or advertising matter, as shown at 15. Around the outer edge of this front wall an ornamental border 16 is provided, which is to be pressed out of the metal and may be scrollwork or an echin us or ovolo molding, as shown in Fig. 1, or a head, as shown in Fig. 5. Any space not occupied by reading-matter on this annular field 12 may be filled in by additional ornamental work also pressed out of them etal, as shown at l7. The characters or letters of the matter in space l2 are produced by rows of perforations closely aliued, as shown at 15, and may therefore be readily seen in daylight. For matter on the center field colors are to be used, which matter therefore becomes equally prominent. By reason of the perforations out of which the charac ters 15 are formed it is clear that the matter may also be readily seen at night as soon as a light is placed within the sign-chamber. By preference I use an electric light, as shown at 18, current to be supplied. from any available source or regular service. Other means of illumination may of course be usedas, for instance, a suitable lampin which case necessary openings would be provided in the side of the light-chamber to provide for admission of air and ventilation. The light within the chamber is reflected all over by the bright inside of its sheet-metal walls. It is evenly diffused all over the perforations in wall 12 by placing behind them glass 19,

which is merely translucent, like, for instance, milk-white or ground glass. This glass is held in position by cleats 21.

In order to render the matter on the center field 13 visible at night, said field is made of glass and held in place around the inner edge of wall 12, which edge is depressed, forming a recess 22, occupied by the edge of the glass. It is held in place by a suitable ornamental molding 23, similar to molding 16 at the outer edge, said molding with its outer edge being attached-by solder, preferably to wall 12, so as to project with its inner edge over the edge of the glass, thus holding this latter. This glass should be prepared similar to what has been described as being hehind the perforated letters that is, it should be such as to prevent direct passage of the light without first evenly difiusing the same all over this field. This elfect may be obtained by using ground or colored glass or by using paint on the same. The trade-mark or other matter 14; is also imparted by the use of colors and painted on the glass in a manner that the matter clearly appears in its natural colors either in day-time or at night with the light behind the same. This matter 14 may also be imparted by using so-called transfer-pictures or transfer-ornaments, which readily appear in their natural colors behind the glass in day-time and become also visible at night with the light behind.

For the purpose of permitting access to the interior of the sign-chamber and to the light therein a door 24; is provided in rear wall 10, hinged at 25 and provided with a suitable catch 26 to keep it closed.

To permit attachment of the sign in the places statedthat is, at a projecting corner of a building, post, column, &c.and to hold the same firmly in position in such place, there is a recess 27 provided and disposed vertically through the center of the rear wall 10, the internal angle of this recess being fitted to correspond to the angle of the corner 28 of the building or post to which the sign is to be attached. The final connection is made by suitable lugs 29 and nails or screws.

In Fig. 5 the sign is modified to the extent of its shape, which is rectangular. In Fig. 6 the recess is shown curved to accommodate a round corner or post. The face or front is also shown convex.

Having described my invention, I claim as new In a day and night corner-sign, the combination of a sign-chamber adapted to contain a light and formed between parallel front and rear Walls, and the rear wall having an outwardly-open, vertical recess and a door to one side of said recess to permit access to the interior of the chamber, the front wall constituting the sign proper and consisting of a center field of translucent glass, carrying figures applied in colors, a marginal outer field surrounding this center field and having perforations forming sign characters, the inner edge of said outer field being depressed to form a recess 22 to receive the edge of the center field, a molding 23 attached to this outer field so as to project partly over the edge of the center field while the same occupies recess 22, translucent sheets of glass behind said perforations and cleats 21 to hold said sheets in place.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ED'WARD W. EDWARDS.

\Vitnesses:

G. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE. 

